Ephesians 5:3-6 "Be Sure of This!"

Introduction:

Christian it is hard to imitate God and to live the Christian life without grieving the Holy Spirit.

I have seen it time and again in myself and others that there can be a pre-occupation with things in the world that lure us away from our primary purpose of glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.

Whenever something of this world takes priority over God it is inevitable that the Christian life will appear to be more of a weight and a hindrance to joy instead of being the very pursuit of where lasting joy is to be found. Which is in the presence of God and at His right hand.

Being sidetracked by the world is a potential danger in the life of the Christian. And the Apostle Paul knew this and we are being challenged in our text this morning to keep our moral focus as we imitate God in the Christian life. Look at what I am calling the Priority of Purity in verses 3-4:

I. The Priority of Purity (3-4).

There is to be a priority of the pursuit of purity in the life of the Christian.

Paul mentions sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness by name. All of these things have to do with appetites of our fleshly nature. Where we want or desire something that God forbids us to have.

He goes so far as to say that it is to not even be named among among the saints of God. Even to the degree that such things should not even be talked about in such a way as cultivate their existence in our midst.

Even joking about such things helps cultivate a sense of normalcy in the midst of God’s people. Certain words that are often used as slang that denote filth and that promote desensitizing a moral worldview as not to even be used as Christians. Such things are distinct from what it actually means to be a Christian and to have a biblical worldview.

The culture incorporates such things into our society and attempts to portray the immoral as normal aspects of human life. Once that happens, the next step is to incorporate them into the church in the name of being culturally relevant.

But Christian such immorality is not normalized due to the commands of Scripture. Yet many in the church believe that alternative lifestyles of morality must be embraced if we are to have a voice of influence in the world.

When the culture moves down the slippery slope it is not the Church’s job to head down the slippery slope as well.

The problem is not with sex and material things of the world but the desire for such things outside of the context of God’s design and providential order in our lives.

Sex and material things were created by God’s design and providential order. But when we allow our desires for sex and materialism to take priority over God’s design and providential order we make such things our idols.

As fallen people who are so often led astray by the sinful appetites of the flesh and there must be something greater to govern our desires to keep them in check.

The end of verse 4 gives us a hint. Instead of practicing whatever our unbridled lust can embrace or imagine we should practice thanksgiving in order to combat our lustful desires.

Why thanksgiving? Because thanksgiving to God puts us and our human experience in context to His sovereign authority and providential will. Thanksgiving reminds us that we do not rule and govern ourselves. Nor are we the ones who bless ourselves. Thanksgiving contextualizes our lives under God’s rule.

A man may even believe himself to be a Christian. But he may live his out his life with the notion that he is self-sustaining and self-reliant due to his hard work in business. He may exude self-confidence and have a profound sense of security for him and his family. But under-neath it all, it is nothing more than an expression of his desire of greed for more and more that motivates him.

Then his wife, who considers herself to be a Christian, has an immoral sexual affair where she desires some other man who is not her husband. And in such a situation the primary problem is not the relational dynamic between the woman and her husband.

The primary problem is in their relationship with God. God allowed their idolatry to be exposed through their actions. In both situations at the individual level the darkness of their hearts are being revealed.

It can happen to single people too. Those who want to take the initiative to fulfill their desires outside of God’s providential order and design.

A relationship with God being lived out for His glory characterized by thanksgiving helps cultivate an understanding in our hearts that remind us of who our source really is. Who rules over us, who provides for us, who has blessed us with one another, who forgives us and extends grace and mercy to us.

Most all of the foundation for this has been laid down in Ephesians chapters 1-3. We live our lives as Christians in reflection of the word of God. It is the only safe and reliable foundation of truth. Some believe we have to capitulate to the culture to stay relevant but this is a deadly place to be due to the certainty of condemnation. Look at verse 5-6:

II. The Certainty of Condemnation (5-6).

This means according to verse 5 there is a certainty that those who pursue sexual impurity, impurity and covetous idolatry; will not have an inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ (5).

The term translated “sure” is an imperative in the original language and it denotes in this case that there is an absolute certainty associated with this. You can’t pursue an immoral, impure and idolatrous lifestyle and expect to have an eternal inheritance in the heavenly Kingdom.

And there are those who like to argue that, “Oh they can still go to heaven they just won’t have a inheritance when they get there”. Or it is common to argue that, “grace covers it all and as long as a person believes in Christ there is no cause for alarm regarding their lifestyle. They will go to heaven.”

Verse 6 warns us to not let anyone deceive us with empty words. Why do you think Paul says this? Because he knows that there are those who will try to deceive us with empty words.

And the warning has teeth because of the implications of wrath on the sons of disobedience. Not sons of God who strive for obedience because they are regenerated by the Holy Spirit. The gospel is transformational. It makes the old man a new man.

The sons of disobedience are not sons of God and it shows in their lives. And they are headed for a rendezvous with the wrath of God.

Christian, this coming wrath of God is what makes Christianity relevant to our society and culture. The trends of thought that are culturally manipulated from generation to generation are cycled throughout history.

This is why it is said that history repeats itself. The Book Ecclesiastes says it this way, “There is nothing new under the Sun.”

But this foundational truth still remains in tact, it is definite, it is sure as anything can be: “the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”

This truth given by the eternal sovereign God makes the gospel relevant in any generation regardless of current trends. The reason the church seeks cultural relevancy is because we attempt to appeal to the culture by other means instead of what really matters for eternity.

The primary truth that the church needs to focus on is eternal relevancy of the Gospel in removing us from the wrath to come.

The Church abandoned this message because we were told that people today don’t want to hear it. So the Church complied and in doing so turned Christ into a martyr instead of a sacrifice in the place of sinners.

Christian why do you think God poured His wrath out upon Christ if not to take the wrath we deserved and transfer it upon Him. To establish the Cross of Christ as the means of our eternal hope.

That is what makes us relevant. Fred Chipman story: “Little man you got one minute to tell me why I need to believe in this Jesus you are preaching.”

The reality of coming judgment is the foundational basis of why the gospel is relevant not only in this generation but across all the false religions and worldviews on planet earth. And the Apostles of Jesus were aware of this from the very beginning of the NT Church: Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Conclusion: The only thing that can compensate for the certainty of the wrath of God is the certainty of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The certainty of His death, burial and resurrection by grace through faith alone is the only compensation that can satisfy the wrath of God.

This is God’s design and providential order for salvation. Do you think another way will be just as effective? Maybe good works? Maybe another religion or another system of practice? Maybe something you have imagined in your own mind that makes sense to you?

Unbeliever wrath of God is certain and Christ is the only one who has ever sacrificially bore it on behalf of sinners. The spotless lamb of God, the eternal Son of God was the only one even qualified to be a candidate for such a task.

You need Him as your savior. Believe the gospel.

Christian confess your sin and repent, turn away from it, and find your rest in Christ.

Let’s Pray!